Ruby Rouge boutique opens in downtown Overland Park

A three-year stint in Washington, D.C., turned Bridgette “Bree” Baker into a shopaholic.

She moved there in 2010 to be with her then boyfriend — now husband, Jeremy Baker —and became a stylist at a trendy D.C. salon.

“The stylists were just edgier and that pushed my fashion further,” she said. “It made me think more about what I was wearing. I think what you wear is a reflection of how you are feeling that day and how you want to portray yourself to others.”

The Kansas City native frequently patronized a D.C. boutique that offered affordable prices and a variety of sizes and decided to open a similar shop after she moved back to the Kansas City area in late 2012.

Ruby Rouge a Boutique opened Friday in a remodeled space at 7917 Santa Fe Drive in downtown Overland Park. Like her favorite D.C. boutique, it also carries a variety of sizes at reasonable prices — nothing over $100.

“So my fashionistas can shop their heart out,” she said. “I had some girls on Saturday who were thrilled we had plus sizes and I had some high school girls who purchased graduation dresses. My grandmother, who is really stylish and hip, bought a scarf, necklace and shirt. I really believe I have something for everyone.”

Ruby Rouge a Boutique gets new shipments once a week — denim, dresses, maxi dresses, shirts, skirts, shorts, sunglasses, shoes, jewelry and more. Baker also plans to promote the new shop by pairing up with other downtown Overland Park shops and salons on events.

The name Ruby Rouge comes from Baker’s favorite shade of red. She is a natural redhead.

Canadian chain coming to Overland Park

Garage plans to open its first area store in Oak Park Mall.

The clothing store chain offers the latest fashions — including denim — for teen girls and “the young at heart.” It plans a May 30 opening in the mall at 95th Street and Quivira Road in Overland Park.

The Garage brand dates to 1975. The Montreal-based company now has more than 170 stores in North America. Most of its U.S. stores are on the east coast.

Rosehill plants a seasonal store in Park Place

Rosehill Gardens plans to open a temporary store in Leawood’s Park Place on Friday.

The lawn and landscape company is taking a space at 11547 Ash St. and will sell refurbished and unique outdoor items including benches, birdbaths, and yard art, as well as live plants, including “fairy” gardens (smaller decorative plants that are moved indoors during colder weather), annuals and container baskets.

Rosehill Gardens, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2014, also has operated temporary holiday stores on the Country Club Plaza for about five years.

“We are down at Park Place all the time because we do all of the landscaping there and it is a unique, unique development that we want to be a part of,” said Curtis Stroud, co-owner of the company at 311 E. 135th St. “The new store will help get our name out and sell a little bit different merchandise than our store in Martin City.”

Annabelles Fine Linens, which sells linens, gifts, women’s sleepwear, and infant clothing and gifts, previously operated in the Park Place spot but it is relocating nearby, to Hawthorne Plaza in Overland Park.

Annabelles plans to open temporarily at 4941 W. 119th St. on Monday. On June 1. it will open in its permanent location at 5041 W. 119th St.